1944

"The older you get, the longer it takes to do nothing."

We saw that in a class newsletter, liked it, and purloined it. Not, mind you, that it applies to anyone we know, let alone a bright and bushy '44.

We mentioned last fall how nice it was having Karl and Betty Musser as new settlers in Hanover. Well, it's doubly nice these income-tax days. Karl has joined a local accounting firm, Smith, Batchelder, and Rugg, and it helps having his smiling face at the door as you walk in, laden with deductions and dread. The Moose, as he is usually called, will specialize in new programs to provide consulting services in the area of employee benefits, and he has a title to prove it: Consulting Actuary and Manager of Employee Benefits Services.

Warner Mills, professor of government at Beloit College in Wisconsin, reports that last spring he attended a local symposium on the presidency, and Clark MacGregor was one of the participants. "Each of the panelists had worked in or near the Oval Office," said Warner, "and it was exciting hearing the tales of those who had served the six presidents, from Eisenhower to Carter." Equally exciting for the Millses was the graduation of their last child, Susan, from the University of Wisconsin.

Bucky Brandt missed our 40th because he and wife Jackie had to scoot off to Europe on perfume business.

Connecticut Yankee Phil Penberthy has a novel retirement twist: "I am easing into retirement, working four days a week as a consultant to the General Cigar Company, which was my former principal competitor." He says that the last of the four Penberthy kids was married last summer, leaving him and Ad on their own. Well, not quite on their own: "Three of our four grandchildren are in close proximity, so we get lots of practice in grandparenting.''

Not-so-shy-and-retiring West Shell was appointed chairman of the board of directors of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati, effective January 1, 1985. West is chairman of the board and chief executive officer of his own real estate business, West Shell, Inc. Federal Home has assets of over $5 billion, so if you need some petty cash, just give West a buzz. Not that you'll catch him first time around; he is a member of so many other business and civic groups in the Cincinnati area that we can't begin to list them.

If you chanced to be on the University of Rochester campus last October and thought you saw a king or a Supreme Court justice or something in stately robes, you didn't. What you saw was friendly li'l Ezz Hale, decked out in borrowed finery to represent Dartmouth at the inauguration of a new University of Rochester president. Ezz, get back into your civvies . . .

At hand is a long, complimentary press release about Dr. Frank Behrle, who is stepping down as chairman of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, a medical enterprise which he joined more than 20 years ago. A pediatrician by training, Berl says that caring for children, not retirement, is uppermost in his plans. Still, he and Peg, celebrating their 39th wedding anniversary, look forward to spending more time skiing and footballing in New Hampshire with, of course, their nine grandchildren nearby.

Ed Fitzgerald, still consulting on gourmet things in New York City, writes to say that he (like me) had a father who introduced him to the outdoors and the Adirondacks at an early age. "My father showed me Lake George," he says, "Schroon Lake, Trout Lake, and for high school graduation, an exclusive preserve northeast of Montreal where he and his cronies used to hunt and fish." Some graduation present, I'd say.

Still another press release: Bill McElnea has been elected to the board of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Finally, it's never too early to plan early. The Hanover mini-reunion group (sometimes known as the Main Street Mafia, Craig,McLaughry, Morgan, and Hier) certainly feels that way, and, at great sacrifice, it met recently for a sip and a burger to tie down/ up things for next fall. Details: October 1112, 1985, Dartmouth vs. Colgate. We have 25 rooms reserved, ten at the Sheraton, five at the Sunset, ten at the Higbea. Make your own reservations; send a deposit. Friday night dinner is open, tailgating Saturday noon, and Saturday night at the Dartmouth Outing Club House, exclusively for '44.

So there you are. Or should be. That's it. Blessings.

Lovejoy Hill Cornish Flat, NH 03746